McHenry County committee keeps high-level excess liability coverage after debate over $191,000 premium

McHenry County's Finance & Audit Committee voted to approve the county's recommended 2026 property and casualty insurance program after a lengthy debate over whether to drop the top $5 million excess layer to save approximately $191,000 a year.

The committee vote approved staff's recommendation to retain the full layered insurance program. The package presented by county staff and Gallagher, the county's broker, includes $6 million in primary coverage plus a $5 million excess layer for $11 million in core coverage; the program also offered an additional $5 million follow-form excess layer that would raise total available coverage to $16 million.

Supporters of keeping the higher limit argued the county's exposure to large tort claims and legal settlements remains uncertain and that the additional premium represented a modest hedge against catastrophic loss. "It's insurance. It's just in case," said Rich Stoklusko, the Gallagher broker-consultant who explained the structure and market trends, adding that the firm had…